William Lafayette Casey and Emily Lenora Steed

On October 28, 1884 in Hinds County, Mississippi William Lafayette Casey born January 31,1866 in Kosciusko, Attala County, Mississippi married Emily Lenora “Nora” Steed born December 10, 1871 in Kosciusko, Attala County, Mississippi. They arrived by wagon in Atlanta, Cass County, Texas before September 1889.

William and Nora had 12 children all born in Cass County, Texas. (1) Ethel Plua “Shug” born September 2, 1889. (2) Charlie Allen born March 11, 1891. (3) Emma Nannie “Babe” born December 3,1892. (4) Jodie Lee born March 9, 1895. (5) “Willie” Arneta born July 27, 1897. (6) Henry Louis “Jack” born September 6,1899. (7) “Icie” Laverne born October 14, 1901. (8) “Alvin” David born January 16, 1904. (9) Jannie “Pauline” born February 19,1906. (10) “Lyda” Victoria born June 24, 1908. (11) “Clifford” Angus born February 15, 1910. (12) Baby born dead March 29, 1912.

William & Nora lived and farmed in Arnold Community in Cass County, Texas. Family records shows William had coal black hair and pretty white teeth. 1910 U.S. Census Records show Gertrude Steed age 16 living with the family. William died of pneumonia February 10, 1912 in Cass County; he is buried at Bethsaida “Y” Cemetery in Cass County. Nora traveled with a companion (a blind man, name unknown) to the Cleburne, Texas area. Henry died of typhoid fever during this time. Family stories say he is buried in a mass grave in the Cleburne area. What happened to the blind man is unknown at this time, but Nora returned to Cass County where she died of Blights Disease February 5, 1915, she is buried in Bethsaida “Y” Cemetery in Cass County.

After the death of Nora: Icie, Alvin, Pauline, Lyda, and Clifford lived with Charlie in Cass County. He joined the U.S. Army and sent the children to the Waco Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, Texas. This was a sad time for the children. Icie passed away while at the home June 6, 1917, she is buried in Bethsaida “Y” Cemetery in Cass County. Babe now married to Newt Dauphin brought the remaining children back to Cass County to live and work on their farm. Parents of William Lafayette Casey are Isaac and a French Woman. Little is known about William’s parents. We have not been able to find any records of William’s parents in Texas or Mississippi. A Casey Cemetery has been discovered in Kosciusko, Attala County, Mississippi. The search goes on.

Parents of Nora Steed are Joel “Sam” Buckner Steed born August 24, 1847 in Winston County, Mississippi and Miranda Brown Ray born March 14, 1851 in Ethel, Attala County, Mississippi. Sam and Miranda were married October, 1869 in Ethel, Attala County, Mississippi.

By Debbie Daughterly and Martha Arey